Blue Heron Brewing Company

Blue Heron Brewing CompanyBlue Heron Brewing Company
Blue Heron Brewing CompanyBlue Heron Brewing Company
Brewery, Bar, Eatery

2214 Highway 68
Embudo, New Mexico, 87531-9998
United States

(505) 579-9188 | map
blueheronbrews.com
BEER STATS
Average:
3.59
Beers:
16
Ratings:
50
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.53
Reviews:
3
Ratings:
10
pDev:
9.92%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by mactrail:
Photo of mactrail
Reviewed by mactrail from Washington

3.86/5  rDev +9.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
Pleasant stop on the Rio Grande between Taos and Española. Just an adobe joint along the highway with the usual chile ristras and New Mexican touches. Beers on our visit included draft, bottles, and growlers. On tap were Scottish, Pale, and Golden ales, and the Cascabel IPA. Bottles of 22 oz added the amber and pillsner. Fun place, beer is malty and quite tasty. Brewmaster is a lady.

The river rafting on the Rio Grande means a big business on summer weekends. There was a constant stream of attractive sunburned people on this July 3 Sunday. Three person marimba jam band was playing. A new one in my book.

WInes from La Chiripada Winery are the other business. Food is confined to cheese and some very good salami. Outdoor beer garden, small tables inside, brewery in the back. Basic but cheerful.
Jul 04, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.64 by Mikey440 from California

Jan 10, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by teamwiggum from Wisconsin

Jul 01, 2016
 
Rated: 3.69 by kylehay2004 from Illinois

Mar 11, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by LXIXME from New Mexico

Aug 15, 2014
 
Rated: 2.75 by SouthwestBreweries from Arizona

Aug 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by nickfl from Florida

Dec 29, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by Kappakoosh from Texas

Dec 26, 2013
Photo of ONovoMexicano
Reviewed by ONovoMexicano from New Mexico

3.79/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75
This place is a nice little gem on the way to or from Taos.

Right along the same strip where for many years my father and I would stop for the fresh fruit stands, this little brewery is like an oasis of sorts.

The interior is small, with seating for 10-15 tops, but another 10-15 can hang out on the back patio as well. Really though, most people seem to do what I did and simply drop in for a beer and hit the road again.

Really though, the beers here are worth staying for. They are quite good and the owner/brewer is happy to share the story of her family's local winery up the road and how her husband was a homebrewer and inspired her brewing. The two now occasionally brew together, but the she carries most of the weight on the brewing side.

Anyways, here's a breakdown of what I remember of the beers:

Cascabel IPA- I enjoyed this. It had a goody hoppy, piney nose yet was smooth-drinking and well-balanced.

Lava Rock Pale Ale- Again, another good beer. Their was a mild bitterness and mellow hoppiness in aroma and taste. Again, very easy drinking. I would have liked this more but I felt the carbonation lacked a bit.

White Water Wheat- This I liked least, but I still found it smooth and drinkable. It had a mild sweet character and subtle wheatiness. It actually would make a good session beer and is actually perfect for the time of year. Overall, decent.

XXX Maibock- I don't remember too many details about this, other than that I enjoyed it and could have easily ordered a pint.

Prieta Real Imperial Stout- Again, a good beer. This one had a thick, malty profile and was not overwhelmed by the alcohol. Overall, a good imperial, albeit a tame one.

So overall the beer was good and rather surprised me as I wasn't expecting much from a roadside brewery that has yet to generate a lot of buzz. Still, I don't think I'm alone in my appreciation as the owner told me demand has grown so much that a taproom in Espanola may be on the horizon. That would be cool and a first for Espanola.

Also, for those not into beer, their were some tasty wines from La Chiripada which is right down the road. My wife loved her Riesling.

Oh, and since I liked the beers so much, I had to buy a bomber from the five or six styles that they had available and which one can only buy at this site.

I should also add that the prices were a bit higher than other New Mexican breweries ($10 for a flight of five beers, $8.50 for my bomber) but still worth it.
Sep 19, 2013
Photo of htomsirveaux
Reviewed by htomsirveaux from Texas

3.85/5  rDev +9.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3
Stopped in here on 2 Feb 2011 on our way to Santa Fe.

Nice little tasting room with maybe 8 or so small tables. Also room on the porch out back. Four taps available but only two were on, one was the Prieta Real Stout and the other was a guest beer, Artist Ale from Eske's. Kristin said that there was a pilsner lagering, a Scottish ale about to be bottled and a red ale soon to be ready. We returned on the 5th to try the Red Ale and the Scottish Ale. The Stout had been sold out and the pilsner was not yet ready.

Growler fills and bottles to go are available. Food is limited to a couple of cheese and cracker platters. Beers were $3 a glass and $10 a growler.
Feb 12, 2011
Blue Heron Brewing Company in Embudo, NM
Brewery rating: 3.59 out of 5 with 50 ratings